Ancestry Chapter 33
1912-1913 - Antonia’s Return to West Prussia, Parts 3 - 5
The Return Part 3 - Michael Norek Leaves for West Prussia, December 26, 1912.
That is the day the passport was issued. That date, and the date Antonia left, are seen in little hand-writing on the return ship's manifest. Michael is certainly in a hurry. WWII is coming, but not for a year or so – it’s not on the doorstep or anything.
Why the rush? Has Michael received a letter? For instance, has Antonia written that she would not be returning?
The Return Part 4 - The Norek Reconciliation in West Prussia, January 1913.
Since Michael left December 26, 1912, he arrived in Western Europe and then traveled to Eastern Europe. He arrived in Eastern Europe the middle of January, 1913.
A reconciliation? Uncle Father Pete was born on October 19, 1913. Count back nine months. Uncle Father Pete was conceived in the middle of January 1913. His Dad had just arrived in Eastern Europe to fetch his Mom.
Peter Norek was conceived in West Prussia, the only second-batcher with a West Prussian connection. (He was not conceived on the trip back because even married men and women were berthed separately on those ships. (This information from Kay, who knew it from her husband’s family.) Did Uncle Father Pete know that?
In any event, is this reconciliation version true or just my imagination? Did Antonia just go back to visit, and her husband fetched her only because of the approaching war in Europe as we have heard? Michael Jr. said that his mother wanted to stay longer. That would fit either version.
The Return Part 5 - The Norek's Return, February 15, 1913
They
returned, Michael with wife Antonia and the children Michael and Josephine.
Aboard the Kaiserin Auguste Victoria, which left Hamburg on February 6, and
arrived in New York on February 15, 1913.
Photo taken of Antonia (apparently sea-sick) holding Josephine, Michael Jr. at their side, and other passengers who wanted to be in the photograph.
A personal camera was rare at that time. Again I presume the camera was compliments of Cecelia's fiancé Matt.
They are citizens. (Antonia has no room to hedge the issue now.) They reside at 2144 W. 23rd Place, Chicago. Ship's Manifest showing their return, which can also be seen at www.ellisisland.org.
They telephoned home from New York. Michael Jr. told the story about saying hello to his brothers, which would be Stephen 17 and Anton 16. His brothers started talking to him in English, but he had forgotten English. Michael Jr. could only speak German. This is a true story -- Uncle Steve told the same story. Or maybe Michael Jr. only "remembered" the story because he heard it from his brother Steve.
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